Motorcycle accidents are especially terrifying because they represent a higher risk of death or serious injury than other motor vehicle accidents. Motorcycle accidents are not only physically harmful but also psychologically traumatic. If you or someone you love has been hurt in a motorbike crash, you may be unsure what to do next. Here are some steps to follow.
Get to Safety
Most motorcyclists consider their bike “valuable property,” prompting them to check on it, attempt to reposition it, or even reclaim its broken pieces immediately following an accident. This plan has many problems: If you stay where the accident happened, you may be in the line of oncoming traffic. Target-fixating drivers often cause accidents when they become fixated on an object on the road, such as a fallen cyclist or rider.
Getting yourself and your bike away from the accident scene as quickly and safely as possible is more important. If you’ve crashed around a corner, you should go closer to the corner’s beginning to block traffic. Attempting to move the motorcycle while injured is a bad idea. Evidence collection can be jeopardized if you move your motorcycle after an accident.
It may come as a surprise, but a motorcycle accident scene is similar to a crime scene. Photos of the accident scene and any contributing or underlying issues will likely be requested by your insurance company, even if you never go to court. You would assume you won’t be tempted to dash into traffic after a motorbike accident to grab a broken lever or blinker, but you have to remember that you’ll probably be in a daze. Learning the proper procedures today will help you avoid making the same errors in the future.
Seek Legal Help
An attorney may be necessary if significant harm results from the actions of a secondary road user or an unsafe design element on the road. If you’ve been injured and think you might have a case in court, it’s in your best interest to keep your thoughts and evidence to yourself until you’ve spoken with an attorney. If you have an accident in Little Rock, and you hire a motorcycle accident attorney in Little Rock, they usually handle further negotiations with the opposing party and your insurer. If you need legal representation following a collision, contact them as quickly as possible to learn when and how to communicate with your insurance provider. Although motorcyclists need to know what to do after an accident, it’s not always easy to remember these procedures amid the chaos that often follows.
Collect Any Relevant Evidence from the Scene
Gather as much data and evidence at the spot as you can if you can do so safely. You should get the names, addresses, and phone numbers of everyone involved, the driver’s license and license plate numbers, statements from any witnesses, and photographs of the accident scene, including any visible injuries and property damage. In many cases, the accident site will contain crucial evidence to help you win your case. You’ll be in a stronger position to back up your claim with proof and details you can collect immediately.
Seek Medical Attention
Call 911 or have someone else do so as soon as it is safe after a motorbike accident. Remembering the “bystander effect” describes how many people “freeze” and have trouble processing requests when an emergency occurs. You should highlight an item only they would see and then give explicit instructions if you need someone to contact emergency services. It’s worth noting that several smartphone apps and devices may instantly contact your emergency contacts or even the authorities in the case of a motorbike accident. Information like as travel itineraries, GPS coordinates, and health records may be transmitted to the app’s server.
Keeping all your gear on after a crash is another paradoxical action. Most bikers will try to remove their helmets soon after an accident occurs. Damage to the head, neck, and spine may result if the adrenaline is diverted from treating more serious injuries. When an injury is present, even removing protective clothing like gloves and boots can be harmful. The best thing to do is to get to a place where you can rest in a neutral position until help arrives and attempt to limit your movement as much as possible until then.
Mentally Analyze the Circumstances
Physical and mental shocks are common reactions to a motorcycle accident. Hypovolemic shock, also known as physical shock, is characterized by a rapid heart rate and breathing, cold and pale skin, feelings of nausea and vomiting, dilated pupils, a loss of consciousness, and other symptoms following internal or external damage. As your adrenaline levels gradually return to normal, you may experience the emotional effects of shock. Physical tremors, mental fogginess or irritability, and a general sense of unease are all possible symptoms. Be cool and wait for help to arrive from emergency services. A leg elevation or recovery position may help, provided it is safe.
To better advise medical staff upon their arrival, try to mentally examine your current state of health and the circumstances surrounding your injury. Such details can aid in diagnosing your injuries and improve your chances of receiving prompt, appropriate care.
Submit a Claim to Your Insurance Provider
After an accident, filing a claim with your insurer is typically mandatory. You must familiarize yourself with the policy’s stipulations. There may be a deadline by which you must file your claim to initiate the procedure. Be wary, though, because insurance firms don’t always look out for policyholders’ best interests. An insurance firm is a business that happens to offer services like protecting assets and paying medical bills. Insurance companies are motivated primarily by the desire to minimize their payouts.
Negotiate With the Insurer
You do not need to accept an insurance company’s offer immediately. As was previously said, insurance firms often make lower offers than what policyholders are entitled to. Hence, it’s usually in your best interest to bargain for a higher price. The insurance company’s initial settlement offer is not binding. In reality, if you follow the advice given here, you will considerably improve your chances of receiving the largest possible settlement for your motorbike accident. If you want good compensation, it helps to have documentation of the accident, evidence from the site, and medical bills.
Any time a motorcyclist puts a leg over the saddle, they should be fully committed to the highest standards of safety and responsibility. While the suggestions above can serve as pointers, nothing can replace using your judgment and making prudent decisions in the aftermath of a motorbike accident to limit the extent of any subsequent bodily, legal, or emotional harm. While riding a motorbike can be one of the most liberating and enjoyable activities, it carries certain inherent dangers. The rider is responsible for reducing these dangers as much as possible.
